Slash thinks Guns N' Roses fans are in denial because the band will never get back together

The guitarist - who now performs with Velvet Revolver -says fans should give up hoping for him to return the band he left in 1996 because there is still tension with frontman Axl Rose.

He said: "I think the amount of denial out there about the reality of Guns N' Roses is overwhelming. I think even if you could get past the personal differences it would never happen."

Alluding to recent incidents at the Reading and Leeds festivals - among others - when Axl arrived late on stage he said: "Four guys want to play and one guy won't even show up and that's the way it's still going. Apart from the music, there is still the personal stuff too though so I just don't think it will happen."

Slash also revealed he finally made a solo album because he felt like a "surrogate" working for other people.

He explained: "I got to a point where I wanted people to perform on my album instead of me performing on theirs. I've been doing so much session work over the years and there's sort of a little bit of a disconnect when you're doing other people's records. It's fine when you're doing it but when you're done your done. It's sort of like being a surrogate and so I had this idea where I'd like to get a bunch of people on my record instead."

The rocker added that he also wanted to challenge himself because he is so used to working as part of a group.

He added to Blabbermouth: "I wanted to do something on my own see what I was capable of without the other four guys because I've always worked with in a band collaboration. Just being the captain of my own ship."